INTRODUCTION

The complete history of a seventy-five year old organization can hardly be written in a few pages of text. There are scores of men whose dedication to the club have gone far beyond the call of duty. Some have made generous financial contributions while others have donated countless hours of their time to ensure that the club runs smoothly. The following text will give an impression of the most important people and events which have molded the club into what it is today.

A CLUB IS BORN

(1924-1927)

In September 1924, Tom Renfro and his former roommate Howell Cobb moved to Austin to enroll in the University of Texas Law School. Both were recent graduates of Howard Payne College in Brownwood, and Renfro had been elected to represent his district for the 1925 state legislative session. Like scores of freshmen before them, they lived in old B-Hall for their first semester. Later, they moved to a private residence in North Austin. Although adequate, the living arrangements were far from ideal, and Renfro began to develop a new idea. He described this vision to Cobb in the following words:

We'll establish a club on this campus composed of men whom we believe to be honorable and with whom we would like to associate as friends while in school and after we leave campus.

Cobb was receptive to this idea, and the two began recruiting friends to be in their club. In a short time, they found six students who they thought would be appropriate for their club. As for living arrangements, they found a location above a dry cleaning shop located just south of the law school. The eight members began to call themselves the Tejas and referred to each other as braves, with the intention of emulating the friendliness of the East Texas Indians. Throughout the spring and summer, they continued to recruit new braves. By the end of September, there was a total of nineteen Tejas braves. Many were fellow law students, but there were also representatives from other colleges.

On September 27, 1925, the braves held their first official meeting at the Stephen F. Austin Hotel. Renfro was elected president, an office he would keep for the first two years. The following year the club was asked to join the Interfraternity Council. At the time, many of the braves were also members of other social fraternities (unlike today). The club chose to remain independent from the Greek system, and has remained so ever since.

As the club expanded, it soon outgrew its home above the dry cleaners. By 1927, the Club had moved to a new place of residence on 1907 Nueces. It was an unfurnished house; therefore, Eldon Hancock, the business manager at the time, found a collection of used and inexpensive furniture from several second-hand stores. In addition, Dyt Johnson donated an old Victrola phonograph player, and an old piano was obtained.

In 1928, the club moved for a third time to a house on 307 West 26th Street. (This is currently the location of the U.T. Communications Building.) This would be the home of the Tejas Club for the next eighteen years.

GROWTH DESPITE ADVERSITY

(1928-1947)

Between 1928 and 1946, the Tejas Club experienced some of its most prosperous years despite the adversities of the Great Depression and the Second World War. During this period there were at least three Daily Texan editors, four head cheerleaders, four presidents of Alpha Phi Omega, and braves in the Silver Spurs and Friars. As far as student government, the club almost always had one brave involved each year. (At times there were as many as four.) One out of every three Student Association presidents during this period was a Tejas brave. Academically, the Tejas Club was always near the top. In the thirty-two years between 1933 and 1966 when the university monitored GPA of student organizations, the Tejas Club never ranked below sixth place. On eight occasions, the Tejas Club had the highest GPA of any student organization, male or female.

This era of incredible academic and political success was not with out its share of hard times. During the thirties the Tejas Club, along with everyone else, had slipped into the depression. At times the club was so stretched for money that they were forced to borrow from a local bank to pay the rent. Between classes, most of the braves worked at least one job to earn extra cash. Some worked in the library while others worked as busboys in the Union. Jack Holland signed on as the University's first student janitor. (Ironically, Holland later became Dean of Men for the University.) Only one brave, Jenkins Garrett, owned a car in the mid-thirties. The passenger door was attached to the car with wires. Regardless of the defect, the club soon made the car community property.

The Second World War was also a time of extreme difficulty for the Tejas Club. Many of the braves were drafted and at one time the club only registered nine members. Four braves were killed in action serving their country in WWII. Despite the hardships, four Tejas braves served as Student Association president between 1943 and 1947. The United States and the Tejas Club made it through the war but rough times were still ahead.

A CLUB IN CRISIS

(1948-1953)

With the end of the war, the United States officially came out of a deep depression and the future shone bright. However, the end of the war did not bring a solution to the Tejas Club's financial problems. The club's financial position grew steadily worse. In 1947, the club was evicted from its home on West 26th Street. The landlord, with intentions of making the house into a cafeteria, gave the club ninety days to find a new place to live.

Building a new home was out of the question, and there was a serious housing shortage for the university in general. Three fraternities and three co-ops were also searching for houses with no success. The only location available was a small, one-story house on 2303 Red River. However, it could only house nine people. A call was made to the Tejas Exes for money to buy the house. The house was purchased at the end of the semester for $14,995. Everyone realized the house would only be a temporary solution. It proved to be far from adequate.

The club moved in 1951 to another house at 2205 Rio Grande. It did not sell the house on Red River; instead, an operator of a nursing home leased the Red River home from the club. Unfortunately, the nursing home went under. This left the club paying rent on two properties. In 1953, the club moved out of the Red River and Rio Grande houses and moved to yet another house located on 214 Archway (the old Sigma Nu house.) Not surprisingly, all the moving and money problems took their toll. The club developed a serious morale problem. The financial conditions of the club were far below University standards. The conduct of some braves were under close scrutiny. Dean of Men, Jack Holland, reported that he would require the club to disband unless serious changes were made immediately.

In 1952, the Tejas Exes raised money quickly to avoid foreclosure of the mortgage on the Red River house. After the fundraising effort, some of the Exes realized that a permanent organization should be created to help the Club deal with future problems. Among those men were J.O. Garrett, Jim Mahon, David Heath, Gray Evans, and John Plath Green. Together, they prepared a charter for the Tejas Foundation. On February 16, 1953, that charter was filed by the Secretary of State's office.

The purpose of the Tejas Foundation was (and still is) to assist the active membership of the club by:

1.Providing adequate housing at a reasonable cost
2.Establishing communication between present and former braves of Tejas
3.Establishing educational incentives.

As a first step, the Tejas Foundation began to tackle the club's current housing problem. It was clear that rental properties were either too expensive or inadequate. At the conclusion of a massive house hunt, J.O. Garrett and Olin Culberson began negotiations with Alpha Epsilon Pi, the owners of a house at 2600 Rio Grande. Financing was secured, and J.O. Garrett obtained a maximum long-term loan to finance the mortgage balance. In June 1955, the purchase was closed, and the house was renovated over the summer at a cost of $6,000. At the beginning of the fall semester the club moved into its first permanent house since 1947. The Tejas Club of 2004 continues to comfortably live in this house.

The work done by the actives and exes during this period can not be over praised. These men made enormous sacrifices of time, effort, and money to make the Tejas Club what it is today. Because of them, the club no longer has to worry about being evicted or paying for extensive house repairs. For forty years the Tejas Club has enjoyed a monthly rent lower than any west campus apartment and possibly any apartment in Austin. In the early years of the foundation, there were some worries that policies would be dictated to the active club. Happily, this has never been the case.

CONTINUING STABILITY

(1953-1990)

After the purchase of the house, the Tejas Club regained the status it was so familiar with during the thirties and forties. The club continued to have braves whose academic standings led the university and represented nearly every college on campus. This is a tradition which continues today, forty years later.

Two other important additions were made to the club around this time period. The first was Gwen Holmes Jamison who was the much-loved cook for the Tejas Club for twenty-one years. Not only was she one of the best cooks of any student organization, but for almost every brave she was a friend, confidant, and mother away from home. At her first day on the job in 1949 she cooked dinner for six braves, the next night nine, and the night after that fifteen. News of Gwen soon spread beyond the club and soon she was preparing dinner for sixty-five! It was a rare day during the fifties and sixties when Gwen did not prepare lunch for thirty and dinner for twice that number. Sadly, Gwen was forced to retire in 1970 for health reasons. The club was quick to show its appreciation by voting her the third honorary brave of Tejas in the forty-five year history of the club. When mounting medical bills became overwhelming for Gwen in the 1980s, the club helped her out financially as much as possible. Gwen died in 1985 but she continues to live on in the hearts of hundreds of Tejas men who knew and loved her.

For the first thirty years of the club's existence the university gave special permission for the club to live without a house mother. The club however received a fresh breath of air with the addition of Brucie Taylor in 1955. In the five years she was house mother she helped planned parties and squared off with more than one business manager to help reduce the chronic debt. She left in early 1960 due to illness and an increased work load. The Tejas Club soon found a new friend in Mable Boles who became house mother in September of 1960. Throughout the sixties she remained the "number one friend" of Tejas. In addition to hosting Sunday brunches and weekend parties, Mrs. Boles was always there to give advise or just lend a listening ear. In May of 1970 Mrs. Boles retired from her job as house mother. Five years later the club voted her the fourth honorary brave of Tejas.

THE RENOVATION

(1990-2000)

The history of Tejas would not be complete without mentioning the renovation of the Tejas House. The Tejas Foundation has always been instrumental in keeping the house in a livable condition. However, during the early 1990's, forty plus years of fast college living had noticeable taken its toll on the teepee. Neglect by the braves left the house in a run down condition that always needed repair.

It became clear that the club either had to do some major renovation on the house or buy a new one. There were serious arguments for both sides but in the end it was decided that the house would be kept. Air-conditioning was re-installed in the spring of 1994 and the house received a new roof a year later. The renovation proper began at the end of this spring semester and lasted the duration of the summer. The house plumbing and wiring were completely replaced, and the three bathrooms, fire-escape, and two bedrooms were rebuilt. The interior of the house was also repainted.

Since the formal renovation has been completed, braves have done minor work on the house here and there. Braves have demonstrated some carpentry skills that are not too shabby. In some cases, the original look of the house has been restored, as when Brad Dieringer uncovered a semicircular window that was previously obscured by trim around the window. Around the summer of 1997, Jeff Rouse, Clay Lindgren, and Brad Dieringer were busy fixing up their rooms. Some of the custom work included installing wood ceilings on two of the third floor rooms, new paint jobs, and rebuilding of stuck windows.

TEJAS IN THE 21st CENTURY

(2000-Present)

The Tejas Club made the transition into the new century without any major problems. We celebrated our 75th Diamond Anniversary in 2000. The club is still going strong, with members active in many areas of campus. We have officers or contributing members in such organizations as the Student Engineering Council, Business Council, the Texas Travesty, the Texas Union, Texas Blazers, Foreign Policy Council, the Athletic Council, Student Government, the Texas Exes Student Chapter, and Longhorn Band.

Over the past couple of years, Tejas Braves completed some important projects for the club. The floor for the computer room was redone in style in with Longhorn Orange and White, thanks to Brad ("fix it") Dieringer. Brad also built a new custom bookcase for the library to hold Tejas lore. Zein Basravi located some nice artwork to display in the house, thanks to a generous alumni, Blake Justice. J.W. Walthall contributed photographs from his portfolio to the house, many of which are hanging in the living room. On the cyberspace side of things, the Tejas Web Database has been up and running for a couple of years, thanks to David James.

The club continues to organize the March 2nd Texas Independence Day Breakfast, our annual honorary breakfast for graduating seniors and outstanding faculty. In addition we will have our regular events, including the Bob Pees Croquet Tournament and Crawfish Boil, weekly Coffees, the Hope Week Party co-hosted with the Alphas, and the Andrew Gotte Honorary Sausage Fest at the end of the semester.